Has Steve Spurrier lost his recruiting mojo? I think it’s a fair question because his Gamecocks slipped to a 7-6 record in 2014. And perhaps more revealing was that South Carolina didn’t have a player go in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. Of course in 2013, Jadeveon Clowney was the No. 1 overall pick.

But last year the first USC player off the board was guard A.J. Cann in the third round (Jacksonville Jaguars). Only four South Carolina players were drafted. And barring something unforeseen, it’s not likely any USC player goes in the first round next April in Chicago, either. But here’s my list of the Top 10 players on the team for this season.

10. K Elliott Fry: Why not give the special teams guys a bit of love? The media selected Fry as a preseason second-team All-SEC kicker. The junior is a candidate for the Groza Award after being a Groza semifinalist and a second-team All-SEC selection in 2014. Fry ranked third in the SEC with 105 points, the third-highest single-season mark in school history, and was fifth in the league in points per game at 8.1. He hit on 18-for-25 field goals (72 percent) with three of his misses coming from 54 yards or longer, and made all 51 extra points. He has made his last 99 extra-point tries.

9. SS T.J. Gurley: The South Carolina secondary was torched through the air last season but the senior Gurley is strong against the run. In 2014, he ranked second on the team with 80 tackles, including 49 solo stops. He shined in the loss to Clemson with eight tackles and a pass breakup.

8. DT Phillip Dukes: The senior is expected to finally get his chance to start. He was given the Everyday Hustle award for the defense in the spring. Duke has appeared in 31 games over the past three seasons with a pair of starts. He has 37 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss.

7. DT Gerald Dixon Jr.: The senior blocked two kicks last year, including a field goal late against Florida that kept South Carolina in the game and the Gamecocks would rally for a 23-20 overtime win. He also blocked 42-yard a field goal attempt against East Carolina, the first blocked field goal by a Gamecock since 2011. Dixon had 29 tackles and forced one fumble.

6. SS Isaiah Johnson: The senior is a transfer from Kansas. Johnson, the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2013, started all 24 games for the Jayhawks during the 2013 and 2014 seasons and had six total interceptions. He finished second on the team in tackles last season with 75.

5. RB Brandon Wilds: The senior takes over the featured back role for the departed Mike Davis, although David Williams will get some carries as well. Last year, Wilds started four games and finished with 570 yards rushing on 106 carries (5.4 per carry) with four touchdowns — he had a 143-yard game with two scores against Tennessee. Wilds also caught 18 passes for 143 yards and a score.

4. TE Jerell Adams: The senior was named to the Mackey Award list this summer. Adams had his best season by far in 2014, playing in every game and starting five. He caught 21 passes for 279 yards for the season, including 17 for 220 yards in the final six games as the team’s primary tight end.

3. LB Skai Moore: The junior is clearly the heart of the defense, which has to be vastly better in 2015 than it was last year for USC to contend in the East Division. Moore had 93 tackles and three interceptions in 2014. He was named the Defensive MVP of the Independence Bowl after putting up 11 tackles in the win over Miami.

2. OT Brandon Shell: The senior tackle was named preseason third-team All-SEC. He has made 36 career starts, twice as many as anyone else on the line. He will be the leader up front with Cann gone now. Shell has been moved to left tackle to protect the quarterback’s blind side. He missed all of spring practice after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair a torn right labrum.

1. WR Pharoh Cooper: How talented is the junior? He was named preseason second-team All-SEC as a receiver, first-team all-purpose and second-team return specialist. Cooper led USC last year with 69 catches for 1,136 yards, finishing second in the league behind Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper of Alabama in average receiving yards per game. Cooper also rushed 27 times for 200 yards and two scores and completed 5-for-8 passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He was Offensive MVP of the Independence Bowl win over Miami with nine catches for 170 yards and a 78-yard touchdown.